Destiel: A Fairy Tale
by RosemaryJohnSherlock
Summary: Castiel had a meager existence as a stable boy at the manor of Lord Chuck. When the Lord's advisor Raphael suggests making Cas the whipping boy to be punished instead of the nobleman's sons, Gabriel and Cas flee the manor. They settle in a land far away from the broken home they left, but will the boys now be left with broken hearts? It depends on them and the Winchester brothers.
1. Chapter 1

_Once upon a time, in a land unlike ours entirely, there resided a boy._

_His name was Castiel, and he was a stable hand for the great Lord Charles and his sons. It was a quiet existence, with few friends and fewer troubles._

_His closest friends were the horses, his favorite being a tan mare named Honey. She was owned by his only human friend, Gabriel, Lord Charles' (or as he preferred to be called, Lord Chuck) youngest son._

_Gabriel enjoyed Castiel's company greatly, and treated him as an equal. The shorter boy described all of his daring misadventures outside of the manor grounds, often going into more detail than Castiel deemed necessary or appropriate. But he would smile and laugh as he tended to Honey after Gabriel had finished his ride, and happily converse with his friend._

_Gabriel's brothers, however, were a different matter entirely._

_While Gabriel's wandering and misdeeds were all in jest, his brothers' ill-doings were not. Lucifer was often mistreating the help and servants, saying that they were unfit to walk the earth, let alone tend the manor._

_Michael, the eldest, was horribly overbearing towards all, especially his brothers. He often started fights with others, then accused them of having instigated the quarrel. Many a young man spent a day in the stock for such transgressions._

_Eventually, Lord Chuck was through with his son's misbehaving. After having caught Gabriel with pockets filled to the brim with sweets from the kitchen, and at the urging of his advisor Raphael, Chuck assigned Castiel a new position: Gabriel's whipping boy._

_Castiel was to stand punishment for all of Gabriel's crimes._

_Of course, Gabriel was not told of this. He found out after having snuck away for a mere late night ride. Returning to the stable with Honey's reins in hand, he was surprised by the lack of his friend. Castiel, being an orphan without a cottage to call home, often slept in the stables instead of the servants' quarters_

_The next morning, he was made aware of his friend's career change._

_-S-_

"Ah, Gabriel. We missed you at breakfast," Lord Chuck addressed his son wearily.

"I apologize, Father, but I felt the need to sleep late today." Gabriel grinned cheekily at his father, but Chuck's expression only became dourer.

"Yes, I trust your midnight ride was enjoyable?"

Gabriel turned to see Raphael enter the drawing room, firmly gripping his friend's shoulder. Castiel's eyes were wide and panicked, but his expression was stoic as usual.

"I don't understand your meaning, sir."

"You have been disobeying your father for far too long, young lord. Now you shall know the price for your transgressions."

Before Gabriel could comprehend what was being told to him, Raphael turned Castiel to face him and struck the boy roughly across the face. Cas gave a muffled cry, but made no move to flee.

"What in God's name?" Gabriel cried angrily, rushing to his friend. Chuck laid a strong hand on his son's shoulder.

"You do not take your own crimes seriously, when the punishments merely affect you. Maybe you will behave now that your actions affect others," Chuck's voice was melancholy, but his tome was firm.

"Continue, Raphael," the lord commanded.

Gabriel could only stand in abject horror as Raphael struck at Castiel twice more. The boy made no sound this time, and his eyes were firmly closed, with his mouth set in a grim line.

"There. Now you may return to your other duties, Castiel," Chuck said softly.

The boy turned his steely-blue eyes towards his master and nodded, before quietly shuffling from the room.

"I hope you've learned something from this, boy," Raphael said primly, but Gabriel could see the thinly veiled sneer of satisfaction on the man's face.

_I'll kill you, _the boy thought. He felt hot tears building up behind his eyes.

"If I may take my leave, father?" He managed to inquire, with only a slight tremor in his voice. Chuck looked down at his son and nodded. Gabriel speed from the room.

_-S-_

"Cas? Cas, where are you," Gabriel cried out as he entered the stable. His face was red from running, and his golden eyes sparkled with unshed tears. They began to fall at the sight of his friend's face.

Castiel's pale skin was already beginning to show bruises. A trickle of blood trailed from his dark hair down his forehead. Gabriel recalled Raphael's tendency to wear rings and winced in sympathy for his friend.

"Cas, I'm so sor-" he didn't finish as he choked out a sob. Castiel crossed the straw covered floor and wrapped his arms around Gabriel.

"It's alright, Gabriel. There are many who have received worse. I'm glad I could spare you this pain," the boy's oddly deep voice resonated comfortingly about the stall.

"No, Cas, this isn't- This is not okay. You should be angry, or at least upset…Damn it, Cas, you should hate me!"

"No, Gabriel. I shouldn't. This, your reaction, is exactly why I shouldn't. Knowing that you are concerned for my well-being is enough."

"I'll never let them hurt you again, Cas. They will never have another reason to hurt you, just because of some stupid thing I did," Gabriel promised, burying his face in his friend's shirt. Cas patted him on the back in that awkwardly-charming way he had. It made Gabriel want to laugh and sob at the same time.

_-S-_

_And so Gabriel's adventures ceased to exist. He never started quarrels at dinner parties, never played pranks on guests, never snuck away, nor shirked any responsibility. He became the perfect image of the obedient son. His dad was happy; Cas was safe. Gabriel reasoned that, though he was now more confined, all would be well._

_Until Raphael suggested that, as this method had worked so remarkably well on Gabriel, the lord should endeavor to use it on all of his sons._

_So it was decided that Cas was to face punishment for any wrongdoings of Lucifer and Michael as well._

_As anyone could imagine, this had the opposite effect upon the older boys. Michael, of course, was not doing it out of spite towards Castiel or Gabriel or anyone else; he simply had no control over his temper. Anyone, be they peasant or noble, was to face his wrath if they dared besmirch his family name._

_And so Castiel was punished._

_Lucifer, on the other hand, quite enjoyed this new development. He began to grow more vicious, fueled in his misdeeds by the thought of increasing the worthless stable boy's torture._

_And so Castiel was punished._

_Now Gabriel was helpless to protect his friend from his brothers. He tried to convince his father to stop, to see sense, to see how brutal and unfair this was. But this had worked for Gabriel, it could work for his eldest sons. Raphael continued to advise that this was the best course of action, so it continued to occur._

_Finally, Gabriel was unable to stand it any longer. He took what money and resources he had, wrote a letter to his father, and explained to Castiel what was to happen: they would flee the manor together._

_-S-_

"You are more a brother to me than any of my own blood who bear that title."

_-S-_


	2. Chapter 2

_-S-_

Dean found the sight of the two boys odd, to say the least.

He was currently at work at his occupation as the apprentice to Bobby the blacksmith. Dean liked it there; the heat of the furnace, the smell of molten metal, and the way he could tell that he was working hard based on the grime on his face.

Bobby was an old family friend, who ran a profitable business because, despite his humble background, he was one of the most well-educated people in town. He developed several techniques that made his business one of the most noted. He got the best clients, and the best materials. Dean was happy to work there. It kept him away from John, and kept Sammy in school.

Dean was currently trying to pour the metal into a very delicate mold, when there came a great clash outside of the forge. He managed not to scald himself, but the mold and the fast cooling metal were ruined.

"Son of a bitch," he hissed.

He took a deep breath before putting away his tools. Hopefully he could salvage something later, but right now he had to tend to whatever idiots were outside.

"What on earth…"

Dean stood blinking in the sunlight to see a short, impish boy frantically fanning at the face of his fallen companion.

"Please! I'm sorry, but my friend, he just fell over and I don't know what's wrong."

Dean immediately knelt next to the unconscious boy.

"What's his name," he demanded.

"Castiel. His name's Castiel." The other boy breathed, obviously panicked.

"Cas? Castiel? Can you hear me buddy?"

Dean gently rubbed his hand up and down the boy's arm.

"Here," he said, shoving a rag from his pocket at Gabriel. "Soak that in water and bring it back."

Gabriel dashed off, and Dean had time to notice the strange horse tied in front of the trough before he came back. Then Dean placed the cooler cloth on Cas's forehead.

As Cas's eyes fluttered open, Dean was startled by the depth of the blue orbs. They were striking against his tan skin and dark hair, but they seemed to fit him.

"Gabriel," Cas wheezed, before reaching a tired hand to his throat.

"Yeah, Cas, I'm here."

The boy, Gabriel, passed Dean a flask that he assured him was filled with water. Dean helped Castiel sit up, and the boy drank it greedily.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Can I ask what you're doing here?"

Seeing the terrified look on the boy's face, Dean quickly changed the subject.

"Was that noise you falling off the horse?"

"Yes, Honey threw a shoe," the blue eyes fell to the ground in shame. "And she was far too tired to hold us up much longer I'm afraid. It's all my fault."

"Well, don't look so glum about it. You managed to fall into very capable hands."

Dean wanted to wince at his word choice, but he managed to continue.

"I can easily re-shoe your horse, and it can stay in our stable for the night."

"She."

"Right, she."

"That is acceptable, Mr…?"

"Winchester. But it's Dean, mostly."

"My sincerest gratitudes, Dean."

Dean watched at the boy got up and made to bow, before catching himself. He looked to Gabriel for help, but Gabriel just made a vague gesture towards himself and then at Dean. Castiel turned towards Dean, his cheeks now dusted with the faintest shade of red. Dean reasoned that it was the heat.

He looked from the boys to the horse and back again. He knew Bobby needed to get paid for him to have a job, but they just seemed so lost. Gabriel was obviously uncomfortable in his clothes. They appeared well worn and much too large for him. Castiel seemed nervous, but it was as if he was unsure how to act around people. Maybe he was from abroad, Dean considered.

"So…Honey?"

Gabriel offered a shrug and a grin. It seemed to fit his face better than the worried expression from earlier.

"I like things sweet."

"So Honey may stay in the stable?" Castiel's eyes looked into Dean's hopefully.

"Yeah, sure."

"May I take care of her? If it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience."

"You can look after her, but I assure you that she'll be fine. Singer's Stable is somewhat known for quality care."

"Singer's Stable?" Gabriel glanced from Dean to the stable then back again. Then his face took on a bright, if somewhat alarming smile.

"Castiel, look at that, we made it," Gabriel said as he turned to flash his smile at Castiel. He then turned back to Dean.

"Would it be possible to speak with Mr. Singer?"

"He has a lot of appointments, but he always tries to meet new clients."

"We were actually hoping for work," Castiel's hopeful expression fell, and Dean was surprised to feel his stomach twist in disappointment.

"I'm pretty sure we could find a place. I mean, there's a slight shortage of hands, since my broth- the other hand is often gone for school."

Dean immediately brightened upon seeing the two boys' glee. Gabriel was trying to hold still and appear professional, whereas Cas was grinning ear to ear in a way that made Dean think that he didn't grin often.

"So, that's settled. You can," Dean was _about_ to say that they could come back tomorrow to talk to Bobby.

Then Castiel's stomach gave a loud grumble, and his neck and cheeks flushed pink. Honey wickered in sympathy, nuzzling into her friends shoulder. Dean's resolve melted.

"You can come in and eat."

When Castiel looked as if he were about to protest, Gabriel tapped his elbow gently, as if trying not to startle him. Castiel shot a look at Gabriel, and muttered a 'thank you,' to Dean.

Yes, these two boys were _definitely_ strange.


End file.
